Scan barcode
tiffyb's review
4.0
Maggie’s obsession with being safe and getting everything right ends in a mental break - because when it comes to staying out of hell, the answers are not as clear as, say, brushing your teeth for two minutes every day to avoid cavities. Although there are people who want to help Maggie, seemingly no one is equipped with the right answers and no one understands the intensity of her fears. This book presents a world full of people who are astoundingly simple in their faith and have never probed into the difficult portions of the Bible. I found myself frustrated throughout this entire book, shocked that no one took the time to help her and also that no one seemed to know the Bible well enough to have the discourse she so desperately needed.
A few more thoughts-
1) I think the characters in the rehab facility had to have been fiction, or at least partly fiction. There was such a broad array of characters with such defined quirks. Most Christian rehab centers have mostly adult men that struggle with substance abuse (vs both genders, all ages, with completely different problems).
2) I can’t help but feel that Maggie was not as forthcoming with her anxieties and panic as she felt she was. It seemed that NO ONE - parents, sister, boyfriend, counselors- even noticed.
3) Ultimately, I was disappointed with the answers she finally got. I SO much wanted her to find peace though actual biblical answers, since all her fears came from the Bible. As much as the Doctor did help her by giving vaguely biblical answers, it felt that his line of reasoning was more agnostic than not.
4) The climax and conclusion felt entirely tacked on- maybe even fake?? There were also a lot of storylines left hanging - I wanted to know if she got back with her boyfriend, if she went to church again, if she kept in touch with those from the facility, if she overcame the anxiety??
Lastly, I think the topic and handling of the topic makes this book only palatable to a small subset of people: specifically, evangelical Christians who are open minded or have themselves gone through a version of Maggie’s experience. Those who are not religious would likely never finish this book (they certainly couldn’t understand the bulk of the material), yet those who are religious enough to understand may feel very defensive and uncomfortable with these heavy topics. (Side note, she did not paint the evangelicals in a nasty, hateful light, but highlighted the seeming ignorance and innocence and bland kindness - which I appreciated, knowing she could have been very unkind, given the mental issues she suffered.)
Five stars for great writing and a story that drew me in and left me thinking about it for weeks! Three stars for the listed issues. Averages out at ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️. Have already recommended this book to a friend!
A few more thoughts-
1) I think the characters in the rehab facility had to have been fiction, or at least partly fiction. There was such a broad array of characters with such defined quirks. Most Christian rehab centers have mostly adult men that struggle with substance abuse (vs both genders, all ages, with completely different problems).
2) I can’t help but feel that Maggie was not as forthcoming with her anxieties and panic as she felt she was. It seemed that NO ONE - parents, sister, boyfriend, counselors- even noticed.
3) Ultimately, I was disappointed with the answers she finally got. I SO much wanted her to find peace though actual biblical answers, since all her fears came from the Bible. As much as the Doctor did help her by giving vaguely biblical answers, it felt that his line of reasoning was more agnostic than not.
4) The climax and conclusion felt entirely tacked on- maybe even fake?? There were also a lot of storylines left hanging - I wanted to know if she got back with her boyfriend, if she went to church again, if she kept in touch with those from the facility, if she overcame the anxiety??
Lastly, I think the topic and handling of the topic makes this book only palatable to a small subset of people: specifically, evangelical Christians who are open minded or have themselves gone through a version of Maggie’s experience. Those who are not religious would likely never finish this book (they certainly couldn’t understand the bulk of the material), yet those who are religious enough to understand may feel very defensive and uncomfortable with these heavy topics. (Side note, she did not paint the evangelicals in a nasty, hateful light, but highlighted the seeming ignorance and innocence and bland kindness - which I appreciated, knowing she could have been very unkind, given the mental issues she suffered.)
Five stars for great writing and a story that drew me in and left me thinking about it for weeks! Three stars for the listed issues. Averages out at ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️. Have already recommended this book to a friend!
sadiesargar's review
As a former evangelical whose anxiety profoundly shaped — and is still shaped by — that faith, I identified with a whole hell of a lot in this book. I recognize my younger self (and hear faint echos of my current self) in Rowe's thought patterns. The subtitle is a little misleading, and I wish she would've expanded the story; she leaves off at a point that feels more like an opening than a closing, and hearing how her newfound ability to come to terms with her anxiety changed her view of the world and herself would've been helpful. Still, there's plenty of kindling for thought here for anyone who finds themselves at this particular intersection of brain chemistry, religion, and culture.
bastilleem's review
3.0
i did not realize that most of the book would take place while seeking treatment, i wish we got more of her life ~after.~
ginnygriggs_'s review
4.0
Re-read this in preparation for writing a sermon. This is a tough one because it mirrors a lot of my own story. Worth the read, however. God is bigger and grace is more encompassing than we can imagine - this I believe.
delaneybull's review
3.0
This was unexpected--a little more "My Great Escape from an All-Consuming Anxiety Disorder." Nevertheless, still an interesting view on self-imposed evangelical hell versus the more popular storyline of a crazy Christian cult.
jamicuns01's review
3.0
Popsugar 2018 #16 - mental health. Personally I think this book would have made a great long form article. It took 80% of the book to finally read about the paradigm shift in her thinking. I was starting to get very frustrated with her inner dialogue, but maybe that was the point. We, the reader, needed to get frustrated with her to understand just how debilitating her way of interpreting Christianity had become for her. And it was debilitating. I have suffered,to a degree, with spiritual perfectionism and so I could relate to her struggles. I use to be so afraid that I wasn't doing all I could in order to receive God's grace. I could always be doing more, right? Brene Brown and her work became my Dr. Benton. Her work gave me the courage to sin bravely (boldly), trusting in the power of Love.
pixelswirl's review against another edition
5.0
Listen if you want to know about my religious trauma just read the first chapter or two.
andeez's review
5.0
Maggie Rowe was going to hell.
At least that’s what she told herself. From a young age, Maggie couldn’t tell if she loved God enough to save her soul.
Publisher’s Weekly endorsed, “Rowe’s fantastic book is a born-again version of One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest.” You need no more explanation from me.
Listen to Maggie comically share about her time in a Christian rehab center; a place where some of the therapists were determined to change the person you were born to be. Then pick up her book and read in detail what caused Maggie to Sin Bravely.
At least that’s what she told herself. From a young age, Maggie couldn’t tell if she loved God enough to save her soul.
Publisher’s Weekly endorsed, “Rowe’s fantastic book is a born-again version of One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest.” You need no more explanation from me.
Listen to Maggie comically share about her time in a Christian rehab center; a place where some of the therapists were determined to change the person you were born to be. Then pick up her book and read in detail what caused Maggie to Sin Bravely.
asgunnell's review
5.0
Highly recommend for those who have escaped the world of evangelical entrapment.